Kewell makes Shepparton impact

He may not of featured in the Club's first pre-season hit-out, but Melbourne Heart FC's Harry Kewell made a significant impact in the Shepparton community on Thursday night

He may not of featured in the Club's first pre-season hit-out, but Melbourne Heart FC's Harry Kewell made a significant impact in the Shepparton community on Thursday night.

While Kewell is itching to get stuck into the action off the training pitch in one of the Red and White's pre-season matches, Heart's new number 10 travelled to Shepparton to watch the match and connect with the regional community.

Kewell participated in a half-time signing session for hundreds of fans and spoke with the Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Jenny Houlihan about the future of the game in the region.

“Melbourne Heart have a plan for me and I-m sticking to that,” Kewell said on Thursday.

“It-s their decision not to play me tonight and I have to agree with that and I-ve already done my training for today.

“The Club has also opened their arms and accepted me and its good, it-s like going into a nice little family - it-s run very well and I-m looking forward to the upcoming season.”

Kewell said the match in Shepparton was a great way to reach out to regional communities in Victoria.

“I think it-s great to do this; this for me is a new experience,” Kewell said.

“It-s good to come out here and see what talent is about, these places out here do have special talent and they sometimes are overlooked.”

Kewell engaged in conversation with Mayor Houlihan during the match, with the later impressed with his ideas and ambitions for raising the profile of the game in Australia.

“I just think he-s amazing - the sorts of ideas that he has for the future, and I-m hoping that part of those ideas of development that he would like to do later on to help people attain a higher level in soccer, actually happens in Shepparton," Mayor Houlihan said.

Check out some of the reaction on social media to Melbourne Heart's visit to Shepparton